Bending The Shadows
by K8 the great
Summary: Willow Herondale has always been stuck in the shadows of her parents' glory. Since she was born, everyone expected something great to come out of her, but Willow can't help her clumsy nature. Not strong enough to get into Shadowhunter Academy, her friend, Asher Lewis, makes her a deal; he would enroll her if she let him train her... (full summary inside)
1. Prologue

Hi everyone! This is a TMI next generation fanfic I've been writing with my friend Brooke (_cookie_brookie_). The idea was hers but she was super awesome and let me jump in and write with her! I hope you all enjoy our little story!

Summary: Willow Herondale has always been stuck in the shadows of her parents' glory. Since she was born, everyone expected something great to come out of her, but Willow can't help her clumsy nature. Not strong enough to get into Shadowhunter Academy, her friend, Asher Lewis, makes her a deal; he would enroll her if she let him train her. Confronted with the difficult task of making Willow a warrior, he too begins to doubt her. But when a posing threat forces her into battle, will she be able to prove that she is, in fact, worthy to be called a child of the Angel?

* * *

 ** **"Jace, It' your turn,"**** Clary said tiredly. Their restless baby had caused her a lack of sleep with his relentless crying.

Jace reluctantly removed himself from the bed where he had been snuggling with Clary, and walked over to the crib that held little Jonathan. They had contemplated what they would name their baby boy since the moment Clary discovered she was pregnant. They argued for hours at a time and spent most of their downtime on the internet searching baby names. And then Clary had an idea; roughly 6 years earlier, her brother, Jonathan had passed away after she had destroyed the evil that which he was made of with the heavenly fire. Clary only got to speak to the real him through his last dying words. Grieving over the brother she never had, Clary decided to honor his lost life by naming her son after him.

Jace carefully picked up his son and swaddled him, lulling him to sleep almost instantaneously. With his bright curly blond hair and big green eyes, Jonathan shared an uncanny resemblance to her husband. She watched Jace with wonder as he placed the already sleeping child back into his crib.

"How do you make it look so easy?" Clary said with a slight tinge of jealousy in her voice.

"I don't know. Maybe it's my ravishing good looks, or my gentle nature, or maybe it's just that he likes me more than you," Jace teased, tossing a pillow at Clary. Any other day, this would have meant war, but Clary was drained of her energy and was finding it hard to keep her eyes open, even though it was only 8:30.

"Jace. If you really want to be helpful right now, how about you come over here and give me a back massage?" Clary said, playfully ,as she moved closer to where he was sitting on the bed.

Jace crawled back into bed aggressively and hopped on top of Clary. He seized her legs and held her arms down, leaving her defenseless against his annoyingly effective tickling. "Get OFF of me RIGHT NOW Jace Herondale before I feed you to Jonathan's creepy stuffed bear!" Clary screamed, while attempting to cover her weak spots. It proved to be totally ineffective considering Jace seemed to know all of them by heart. He continued to torture her, poking her sides with his long, slender fingers. "BY THE ANGEL. If you do not let me go I will TEAR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOUR FINGERNAILS OUT!" Clary struggled to form her sentence, as her laughter was hindering her ability to speak.

Jace laughed, "Are you threatening me ? Because I will have you know that I don't take well to death threats…" He laughed at the lethal glare he received when he finally loosened his grip and allowed her to escape.

"Seriously though, you need to get some sleep… I don't know how much longer this quiet will last for, so take advantage of it while you can," Jace said more seriously as he touched Clary's hand to his lips. He moved closer to her, allowing her body to fill in the shape and curves of his, gently draping his arm over her side.

"I love you," she said.

"I love you, too," he answered.

Clary's eyes were closed now, but she opened them one last time to admire the beautiful man who lay next to her. His golden skin, wild blonde hair, and deep golden eyes, had always reminded her of a majestic lion from some exotic country. She marveled over how God could create such a beautiful being, and knew she was immensely lucky that he was hers. Clary enjoyed the sense of security and love she got in his warm embrace.

With this feeling of affection and satisfaction, she drifted off to sleep. Until a high pitched wailing forced her bloodshot eyes open once again.

The next morning had Clary dazed and confused as she awoke to an empty bed instead of the comforting embrace of her husband.

It was already 12:30. Maybe not morning after all.

She got up and walked downstairs to find Jace making breakfast. He had made her favorite-scrambled eggs with maple syrup, crispy bacon, and sausage. She felt her stomach rumble aggressively, and hurried over to the table. Clary hadn't realized how hungry she'd been; she hadn't eaten since yesterday morning.

"Good morning, baaaaabe!" Jace sang as he plopped a very delicious looking plate of food in front of her. Without saying a word, she quickly started shoveling the food into her mouth. Jace watched her, laughing, and replaced the food as quickly as it disappeared. "I never did understand how such a tiny little thing could eat so much food…like seriously. Where does it all go?" Jace joked.

"Shut up." She glared and threw one of her sausages at him.

"Now that is not how to thank someone who has spent their morning cooking breakfast for you," Jace laughed tossing the sausage into Chairman Meow's food bowl.

"Thaaaank youuuu," she smiled sweetly. "Where are Willow and Jonathan?" Jace pointed to the den where his son and daughter were watching TV and went back to cooking more eggs. They had been watching teletubbies, an old show that Clary liked to watch when she was a kid. She heard Jonathan giggle at something Po said to Dipsy. Clary caught sight of her daughter's fiery red hair and tiny frame and smiled, quietly marveling over the fact that Willow looked almost identical to how she did when she was 4 years old. At least, that's what her mother was constantly saying.

"MOMMMMYYYYYYY!" Willow ran over to Clary and hugged her leg. Her little hands were sticky with syrup, and she had marker all over her arms, legs, and face.

Clary turned to Jace and eyed him with a look of disapproval to which he said, "Willow, I think it's time you had a bath." He scooped her up and took her upstairs. Jonathan was still watching tv in his bouncer. "Mama, Mama!" said Jonathan, his eyes going wide as she entered the room. Clary walked over to him, picked him up, and plopped down on the recliner.

"I'm here baby," she said pulling a blanket over them. Clary sat for a moment watching the teletubbies, who were still running around on screen. She thought back to her childhood, when she used to go over to Simon's and watch re-runs of the show. Smiling, she reached for her phone and dialed Simon's number; she knew it by heart.

After two rings, the line connected. "Hello?" Simon said.

"Hey Simon. Are you busy today?"

She twirled the cord around her finger, waiting for his response. Simon hadn't been around a lot lately. He had been working as an ambassador for the Shadowhunters and Vampires to get an agreement on some document Clary didn't care enough about to listen to.

"Well...we were going to head out for lunch. Do you, Jace, and the kids want to come with us? We were going to stop by Java Jones," he said.

"That sounds great! Willow is taking a bath at the moment, but we can be ready in around an hour."

"Okay. See you then," He said happily and hung up the phone.

"JACE!" Clary called to him from downstairs. "We're going out for lunch with Simon and Izzy in an hour. Help me get the kids ready!"

Jace came downstairs a few minutes later with a wet-haired Willow in his arms. He had changed her into a bright blue dress with embroidered butterflies on the sleeves and her hair had been tied back into a loose ponytail. Jocelyn had made the dress for Willow a few weeks ago, and the bright blue against her striking red hair reminded Clary of sunsets over Lake Lyn in Alicante. It had been almost 6 years since she had been there last. Even though Alicante was basically her second home,Clary had avoided going back since the passing of her brother.

Simon walked in exactly fifteen minutes later, Izzy and their son Asher trailing behind. Asher immediately went into the den and turned on the tv. Isabelle chided him and he reluctantly turned it off following her to the base of the stairs where Simon stood.

"Simon! I said an hour!" Clary yelled from the top of the stairs. She was only wearing one shoe and her red hair stuck out wildly around her face; it clearly had not been brushed yet.

Simon shrugged. "What can I say? I missed you, Fray. We haven't seen each other in, what? _Two_ _months_?"

"That's Herondale to you," Jace said, coming out of the kitchen.

"I stand corrected," Simon rolled his eyes. He watched as Clary fumbled for her other shoe.

The two families lived across the block from each other, so Clary was used to Simon walking in whenever he pleased. He basically lived in her house, and vice versa. However, lately he had been more busy with trying to get a new Downworlder peace treaty signed, so they hadn't seen each other in a while. Clary missed her best friend; sure she had her children and her husband to take care of- Jace may have been harder to manage than Willow and Jonathan combined-but staying busy couldn't get her mind off of Simon's absence.

"Uncle Simon! Aunt Izzy!" cried Willow from next to Clary. She practically fell down the stairs as she ran to give them a hug.

"My little princess!" said Isabelle. She picked her up and spun Willow around in the air. Willow loved playing with Izzy; to her, Izzy was like an older sister who she looked up to. She had been there when Clary gave birth, and she always offered to babysit.

"Hey, Willow!" said Simon hugging the small girl. He always thought of Willow as a miniature version of his best friend with her red hair, small build, and love for art or anything colorful. However, he saw Jace in her eyes, for they were gold, and they sparkled like the sun's light cast upon the ocean.

Standing next to Simon was his son, Asher. He was short and thin, with long, curly black hair. Asher had always resembled Simon more than Isabelle, but his stubborn and defiant personality he definitely got from his mother. Willow smiled at him, who instantly turned away, avoiding a hello. They had never really been close, which was shocking considering they were practically family. They each called one another's parents their aunt and uncle and spent enough time together to be related. Isabelle got pregnant with Asher around the same time that Clary got pregnant with Willow, but Asher was a few months older. Even from a young age, Asher seemed to avoid Willow like the plague and she had no idea why.

"Hey, little man!" Jace said, playfully tousling the boy's curls.

"Hi, Uncle Jace!" said Asher, grinning. Clary couldn't help but smile at how goofy Jace looked next to the six year old. He had to bend down just to touch the top of his head."Are we ready to leave now?" asked Isabelle impatiently. She was holding Jonathan now, her long black hair flowing around her pale face. She looked strikingly beautiful in a bright red dress that hugged her impeccable curves. Compared to her, Simon was laughable in his casual plaid shirt and glasses. Six years made a significant difference in Simon's appearance. Becoming a Shadowhunter caused him to gain a lot of muscle-training was rigorous- and he now had the same black marks that Clary wore. They wrapped around his biceps, and snaked across his chest.

"Only if you are," Jace said. He grabbed Willow's hand and opened the door.

Java Jones hadn't changed since the last time Clary and Simon had gone there together, when they were still ordinary teenagers. Clary remembered sitting with Simon and just talking, simply talking. She would drink her black coffee and Simon drank an overly sweetened chocolate frappuccino that she always laughed at him for. She'd tell him it was girly, but he would argue that if it tasted good he didn't care if people judged him. He used to say that all the guys in the world were missing out. To this, Clary would laugh and lean into Simon's shoulder. They would sit there like that for hours and talk about anything and everything.

She thought about how different their lives were now, how their whole lives had changed in just a few years; first Simon sacrificing his memory and then becoming immersed in the Shadowhunter lifestyle, it was quite a journey to their current state. Now they were both married with children, and were beginning their lives as adult Shadowhunters.

Simon.

A shadowhunter.

Clary still laughed at this idea, even though he got offended when she teased him.

"I'll take a double chocolate chip frappuccino with extra whip cream please," Simon ordered his drink, ignoring the giggles coming from behind him, where Clary and Jace stood.

"What? No extra chocolate-y cow blood today?" Jace said as he punched Simon in the side.

"I won't be drinking blood again any time soon…" said Simon. He thought that when he became a Shadowhunter Jace would finally stop teasing him, but yeah, that was probably never going to happen.

"Oh leave him alone Jace," said Isabelle taking a sip from Simon's drink. "I still haven't gotten used to seeing you eat human food you know." She flashed a playful smile at him.

"I still haven't even gotten used to my heart beating," Simon said, a small frown on his face. Getting his memories back had been pretty painful and remembering the empty-chested feeling wasn't pleasant either.

They all sat down at a large table in the corner of the coffee shop that looked out onto the busy city streets. Clary studied each ordinary family that walked by and then looked around the table at hers. Nothing about her family and friends was ordinary.

She observed Isabelle and Simon laughing while they played with Jonathan and Willow, and Jace was laughing with Asher, probably busy corrupting his young mind.

 _This is how it is supposed to be,_ she thought to herself, _everyone is safe, and we are all happy_.

And in that moment, for the first time in years, Clary actually remembered what it felt like to be normal.

Unfortunately, all moments have to come to an end.

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	2. From Doubted to Tested

**Chapter 1: From Doubted to Tested**

" _ **Jace"**_ _, Clary said, "I don't think she's ready."_

 _Jace sighed. "I know, babe, I know. But we can't keep her from it forever," he said. Willow watched from behind a corner as her father pushed his hand through his hair. Distress was evident on his face._

" _She's just...she isn't…" Clary sucked in a breath. "God, I feel like I'm betraying her just for thinking this but Willow just isn't qualified for being a Shadowhunter. She's always tripping over her own feet and she's probably as stealthy as a giant storming a village."_

 _Willow held back a sob. Her parents didn't believe in her? She knew she was clumsy but to the point of not becoming a Shadowhunter? That was probably the most heartbreaking thing she had ever heard. How could they do this to her?_

" _If she isn't ready, we can't just launch her into it. Willow isn't prepared; it wouldn't be fair to do this to her," her dad said._

Not fair? _she thought._ And it was fair for them to stop her pursuing her dreams as a Shadowhunter?

 _Willow squeezed her eyes shut trying to hold back the tears. She ran to her room as quietly as she could, which was apparently not quiet at all. She forgot; she wasn't stealthy._

" _Willow?" her mother called after her. "By the Angel, I think she heard us, Jace._

Willow finished getting dressed, and slipped on her black shoes. She threw on her black jacket and took a look in the mirror. Well, she definitely looked like a Shadowhunter, but she sure as hell didn't feel like one. Ever since that night when she was only twelve, she couldn't help but hold doubt in her mind. As the daughter of Clarissa and Jace Herondale, Willow had always felt as though everyone had high expectations for her. She worried every day that she would never be able to fit people's image of her, and because of this she always felt like a let down to her parents. Her mother and father were _famous_ _heroes_. What was she? She was a clumsy and incapable girl. But a Shadowhunter? Probably not.

Asher, on the other hand, took after his mother and entered the Academy at a younger than average age . He had been so gifted at hand to hand combat that the trainer made a special exception for him, allowing him to enter at the tender age of nine years old. Willow was extremely jealous of Asher, knowing that his parents were probably extremely proud of him, when hers were not. She had gone as far as to study rune books from cover to cover, and to practice combat moves nonstop. The practice helped her a little, but her skills were still overall pathetic.

She sighed to herself and walked out of her room. Her parents were waiting for her patiently in the den with smiles on their faces. Willow swallowed hard, her heart in her throat.

"You look like your mother did when she first wore Shadowhunter gear," Jace said.

"Young and unprepared?" Willow said with a scowl.

Her mom sighed. "Willow, I can't say this enough. I am sorry for what we said that night. I truly am. But we were doing it for your safety."

"We didn't want you to get hurt," her dad added.

 _You didn't want to hurt your reputation,_ she thought sourly.

"Can we just go already?" Willow said, irritated by her parents sad apology.

"Are you sure you have everything you need?" her dad asked her, obviously stalling.

"I'm sure. Draw the Portal, Mom."

Willow watched as her mom moved her stele with little effort. Her hands were steady drawing the Portal rune; Willow's shook at her sides. She couldn't believe that she was actually going to the Academy! _Finally_. This was her dream come true. She supposed her parents had deemed her safe enough to herself and others to go train for what she was born to do.

But still her hands shook and she realized why: She was nervous. Incredibly and painfully nervous. She worried that she would embarrass herself and her family if she were to get hurt or do something stupid. She had imagined that scenario so many times in her head. It usually went a little like this:

Willow is in training, throwing daggers at a small target on the other side of the room. She hurls them over and over, missing each and every time. The instructor in the room laughs at her incompetence.

"You can't possibly be a _Herondale_ ," he would say.

Then Willow would force herself not to cry, throwing another dagger at the target, this time missing by three feet. The instructor continues to laugh.

"My dear, you are terrible!" he says and throws his head back laughing. "I'm sorry but this is not the place for you. Shadowhunter Academy is for real fighters."

And then he would pull a lever and Willow would be ejected from the building.

Well, she knew she wouldn't literally get ejected like in her cartoony imagination. But that's always how she feared it would go for some reason.

 _You will become a Shadowhunter,_ she reassured herself. _You will get there and do your best. Don't worry, don't worry, don't worry._

Holding her breath, she stepped through the Portal.

It was unlike anything she had ever felt before.

Inside the portal was freezing, like she had been submerged in ice water, and she felt as if she were both floating and flying at the same time. The feeling was euphoric, and almost as quickly as it began, it was over.

Willow landed hard on the ground with a great _thud_.

Everything was black. She hadn't even remembered closing her eyes.

As the strange new place before her came into her vision, she took in her surroundings. She saw a beautiful landscape, one with tall trees and green grass, mountains lining the horizon. She thought to herself that if she had her art supplies with her, she would love to sit in that very spot all day, painting the beautiful scenery before her. She had heard of Alicante dozens of times from her parents and from Asher. The majority of the time he talked to her about the sparkling place, he told the tales of his multiple accomplishments at the Academy with a smug look on his face. Brat.

Willow had never actually been to Alicante in person. It was just as she had imagined it to be: sunny and beautiful, almost dreamlike. She looked around and saw they had landed next to Lake Lyn. The water was transparent, almost like glass, and the bright sunlight reflected off of its surface, reminding Willow of how mundie children movies portrayed faerie dust; Raziel, she used to worship those movies. She stared at the lake in a sort of daze until her mother spoke, snapping her back into reality.

"We need to head into the village," she said. "The Academy is just on the edge of town. It should be about an hour long walk."

"What, they don't have cars?" Willow asked.

"First lesson of becoming a shadowhunter," her dad said, "no complaining allowed."

The hike to Shadowhunter Academy was long and the silence was brutal and awkward. Her parents stared directly ahead as she silently begged them to ease the tension. They did not oblige.

When the Academy finally came into view, Willow sighed in relief. Her feet were aching and probably covered in blisters. Her mom really should make an anti-blister rune. She sat down on a bench outside the building and thought sadly that if that walk was too much then this was going to go even worse than she imagined it would. The admission process itself was going to probably maim her, not to mention the rigorous training and actually _becoming_ a Shadowhunter. How was she going to be able to kill demons if she was worrying about blisters?

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her parents glanced at each other nervously. By the Angel, now they probably thought she was too scared and were going to take her home. Instead, her dad knelt down in front of her and took her hands. He had a soft look on his face rather than the serious or comical expressions he usually wore. Willow was surprised. It was rare that he acted like this; the last time she could remember him being so… _kind_ was when she was a little girl and scraped her knee. At the time, she thought she was going to die, but her father took her hands just like he did now and shushed her gently, calmly bandaging the cut. At the time, she had been too young to wear runes of any kind. He told her that she was brave for dealing with the pain, instead of just wishing it away with a mark.

"Willow, it's okay to be nervous," he said. "But you _will_ do great. I know it. You're smart and perceptive. I'm positive that you will become a fantastic Shadowhunter; after all, you have angel blood in you."

And that was the problem. She had angel blood and everybody knew it; they probably expected her to have super strength and agility like her dad or rune powers like her mom. But she had neither of those things. In all of her life, she had been nothing more than an average Shadowhunter. In fact, she was probably below average. Her runes came out weak, the lines wobbly and unsure; her combat and weapon skills were not up to parr, and she swore that every time she prayed to the Angel, he was mind-blocking her. She wasn't a great warrior, she wasn't even a good one.

All Willow felt was unworthiness. She didn't deserve to be apart of this amazing world. Maybe some martial arts expert should take her place.

"Look, Willow, I know we may have hurt you when you heard us talking that night, but we were wrong. One of the most important qualities that a Shadowhunter must possess is passion, and you are one of the most passionate people I have ever known. When you want something, you keep working until you get it and you don't let anybody get in your way. Your mother and I believe in you, we really do," Jace said. He kept constant eye contact with her as he spoke. "I may sound very hypocritical right now, considering your mother and I were the only people that got in your way, but I want you to know that we are _very_ sorry." By the end of his very emotional speech, Jace's voice was trembling.

There was a moment of silence when time felt like it had stilled. Willow kept her face devoid of emotions as the seconds ticked past.

"A+ on the parental speech, Dad!" said Willow, trying to ease the awkward tension that was building each quiet moment. Clary looked at her in disapproval as if to say _for shame!_ Willow avoided her angry gaze. "I, um, I have to go in now…"

She walked away without looking back.

It took Willow a good ten minutes to find the entrance to the testing room. When she finally did, she sat outside the tall doors, wondering whether or not she would actually be able to open them. By the Angel, Willow had never been this scared before.

All around her, she saw children of many ages, in gear similar to what she was wearing. A young boy walked past her; he had to have been only ten years old. She felt her cheeks flush with shame over the fact that someone almost five years younger than her was braver and more capable than she was. Finally, without allowing herself a chance to walk away, Willow stood and flung the doors open.

She hadn't exactly thought about what would happen when she walked inside. Where did she have to go? Who did she have to find? Maybe she hadn't thought this whole thing through...

"You must be Willow Herondale," someone said from behind a counter, "we've been expecting you. Come this way." The woman's voice was loud, clear, and confident. It was the kind of voice that only belonged to someone important, and Willow was intimidated already.

The woman emerged from behind the desk and Willow would be lying if she said she wasn't shocked at her appearance. She was short and plump with a face that strongly resembled a frog; her big lips were painted a deep red that wasn't her color at all and she wore a very unflattering blouse that didn't quite look right with that particular shade of lipstick. Willow almost cried out with shock. Was this how unsuccessful Shadowhunters ended up? Is this how she would look? She was seriously contemplating running right back out of the doors she came in through.

The woman didn't say another word as she led Willow past another set of doors and into a room covered with panels that had hundreds of buttons and switches. Willow furrowed her eyebrows. What kind of testing room was this?

"Stay in here," the woman ordered. She then turned on her heel and stalked out of the room.

Willow drummed her fingers awkwardly. What was going to happen next? Did she need to be on guard? Was something going to attack her? She leaned against a table and crossed her arms to stop her fidgeting.

 _It'll be fine. Calm down,_ she told herself. _Breathe in... and out…. In…. now out…._

About five torturous minutes later, during which millions of ridiculous scenarios raced through her head, she heard footsteps approaching. At first, they were barely audible, but they began to get louder and louder, echoing off the walls of the closet-sized room, until she heard someone fumbling the door knob. Willow stood up straight and wiped her hands on her pants. She could hear her heart racing. The door made a loud squeaking noise as it opened…

Nothing could have prepared her for who walked in.

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	3. From Tested to Cheating

**Chapter 2: From Tested to Cheating**

 **Asher entered the Control Room** with only one thought in his mind: in and out. Just get in, finish the damn thing, and get back to training. He was getting assessed on new combat moves today and didn't need this sucking up his time. But as soon as he entered, Asher froze in his track. Standing in front of the blinking panels was Willow Herondale, looking rumpled and afraid. Her red hair stuck to her pale face with sweat and her golden eyes were widened. The flickering blue lights behind her cast a glow around her hair, giving a halo effect, and he thought it looked like her hair was a blazing fire. For a moment, he thought about how beautiful she looked, even though she was clearly a mess. Asher watched as her body tensed and then relaxed. He doubted it was because she was relieved when she saw him. It was most likely because he was a familiar face.

After a few seconds of dumbfounded stares from both parties, Willow was the first to speak. " _Asher?_ " she said in disbelief. "Wha-"

"They told me I was assigned a newbie for the rest of the school year, to test for next year's students," he said cutting her off. "They didn't tell me who I was going to get. I definitely wasn't expecting to see you."

"And I was NOT expecting to see _you_!" she exclaimed. She then flushed, realizing afterwards that she sounded much harsher than she meant to.

Asher walked further into the room. Willow eyed him cautiously as he neared her, as if afraid he was going to attack her. Which would be plausible. You need to know how to fight other humans in Shadowhunter Academy. But Asher had a feeling he couldn't hurt Willow even if someone held a gun to his head.

"So what exactly do we do now?" asked Willow.

"Well my instructors told me that I had to run you through some guidelines first and then I am supposed to set up your simulation."

"Simulation? What do you mean by simulation?" she asked, visibly trying to stay calm, but her voice was tinged with fear.

Asher said, "Don't worry about it. You'll do fine."

He kept an even face but internally Asher was sending all of his hopes to the Angel Raziel that she would pass with flying colors and get in. Then he might finally have a _chance,_ the chance he longed for since he was eleven and hormones became a thing.

"What's… um, what's _in_ the simulation?" Willow asked.

Asher flashed a lopsided smile. "You'll see. Go into the Sim Room and wait. I'll be in here working the controls and monitoring your abilities."

She nodded and walked over to the metal door leading to the stark white Simulation Room. Asher bit the inside of his cheek, remembering his simulation. He was only seven when he got tested; he lasted for thirteen minutes and twenty-two seconds and killed nine digital demons. Then one snuck up behind him- an _imp_ demon- and with a hard blow to the head, it knocked him out. He remembered waking up in a hard bed in the infirmary, his instructor sitting beside him with a smile and a "yes". After a few minutes of congratulations, the healer sent the girl away with a jarring look.

"The boy needs to recover!" she had yelled, increasing his headache tenfold. Asher, still dizzied, had taken a few more minutes before entirely remembering what had happened back in the simulation.

He heard a girl yell something, and was jolted out of his memories back into the present.

"Yeah, yeah. Okay. Let's begin." He spoke into a small microphone; a speaker was placed in the room where Willow stood, allowing her to hear his guidance.

"WAIT-no!" Willow suddenly screamed, but it was too late. He had already turned on the machinery.

Asher pulled a series of levers and turned a dozen knobs until the simulation had begun. The first demon he conjured up was a relatively easy one to beat. It was a _Familiar_ Demon, and it appeared in the form of a rabid dog. He watched on the monitor above the control panel as it started towards Willow. He could see from all angles; there were many cameras placed throughout the simulation room.

Willow gasped loudly and searched frantically in her gear for a blade. She fumbled around until a triumphant look crossed her face and she slid a small dagger out of her boot. Asher watched as she pulled it out and flung it towards the demon. The knife hit its target with ease, sticking in the forehead. Black ichor flowed out of the wound and the dog evaporated, leaving behind her dagger. Asher noted how that wouldn't happen in reality, that the blade would be melted by the burning demon blood.

Willow ran and scooped up the dagger as Asher pushed another set of buttons. This time, a _Sitri_ demon materialized. She took one look at her flimsy little dagger, assessed the demon that was charging her, and tossed it aside. The look on her face was one of absolute panic and Asher had sat on his hand to keep himself from powering down the machine. Asher watched Willow as she closed her eyes, and he realized she had given up.

He sat forward and yelled into the microphone, "Stay attentive, Willow! Keep fighting! Never stop mid-battle!" All he saw was Willow shaking her head, and then the demon was on her.

And then it was over. The demon disappeared after nailing her in a would-be lethal spot and the machine turned itself off.

Asher stood up and entered the Sim Room angrily. "What was that?" he demanded. "Willow, what the hell was that?"

She bit her lip and shut her eyes tightly. "I can't."

"What do you mean you can't? You didn't even try to beat it! Shadowhunters are not cowards, Willow Herondale," he said angrily. "If you want to be a Shadowhunter, you are going to have to start acting like one."

Willow's teeth clenched and her small nose crinkled up, the way it always did when she got frustrated at her parents. "You don't have the right, _Asher Lewis._ You don't know what's going on in my head right now so you have _no right_ to judge me like that!" she shouted.

"I have every damn right," he said, "because, yeah, I do have a fair idea of what's going on in your head. I've been in your situation, Willow, and I know. It's absolutely freaking terrifying, and you may feel like you can't possibly win, but you cannot give up. If not for yourself then for your family and friends. Your choices are to either suck it up and fight... or die."

They stared one another dead in the eye for what seemed like hours. Asher was pissed and so was she. But he wasn't mad because she was acting like a lousy fighter; he was angry that because she gave up he would have to fail her and she wouldn't be accepted into Shadowhunter Academy. And then he couldn't pursue his dream: her.

But then Willow spoke. "Shut up, Lewis."

He raised both eyebrows. "I'm sorry?"

"You should be," she said. "Just because you've been here for, what? Seven years? Eight? That doesn't make you all high and mighty."

"I never said I was-"

"Let me finish. You think you know everything there is to know about this place and what it means to be a Shadowhunter. But honestly wake up, Asher. You're still here too and you're almost sixteen. My mom was fighting demons like a professional by then and she hadn't even been properly trained! Yet here you stand, in a room where you fight pixels day in and day out. You think you're so great? Take another look at yourself and get back to me on that."

And then she strode out of the room, her head held high, leaving Asher standing there with his mouth hanging open.

"Wait...Willow!" He ran out of the room after her, calling her name down the hall. He ran past Mrs. Forthall, the short, fat lady who sat at the desk. She gave him an odd look as he caught up to the redhead. "Willow, wait. I'll make you a deal, okay?"

"A deal?" she asked, sounding curious. "What kind of deal?"

"If you allow me to mentor you through your training, I will pass you," he said.

Willow looked at him in suspicion. "Why would you want to help me? We're not even friends."

Asher blushed and turned, hiding his face so that Willow could not see. "Well...I see potential in you, and I think you could make a great Shadowhunter one day with some help. I'm willing to do that, if it means the world will gain another protector."

"I…I don't know," she said. She cast a distrusting look at him.

"Hey, you want to be a Shadowhunter, right?" Asher said. He waited until Willow nodded. "Well, if you don't agree to this deal, then you probably won't make it. I'm sorry but you're not very good on your feet and don't seem to do well under pressure. I can keep this between us, Willow, and train you myself. Otherwise, you're never going to be able to fulfill your ambitions."

She stood there for a moment, silent, presumably thinking about his offer . Asher knew she wouldn't decline it. How could she? He watched as Willow glanced over his shoulder at Mrs. Forthall who seemed to be completely oblivious. She pursed her lips, thinking hard; Asher waited for an answer for what felt like a thousand years.

"Okay," she said looking down at her feet, "okay. I accept your offer."

As she spoke, Asher felt a huge sigh of relief exit his body. He hadn't even realized he was holding his breath.

"Great. Okay. We start tomorrow." He felt his hands trembling as he handed Willow her schedule.

* * *

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	4. From Cheating to Lying

****Chapter 3: From Cheating to Lying****

 ** **The sun was already down**** when Willow walked out of the Academy's grand doors. It was significantly colder outside now. Her boots crunched against the gravel as she walked down the path. The sky had turned a deep, dark shade of blue and was spotted with millions of tiny stars. The moon was full, and it cast a dream-like glow on the enormous sycamore trees that lined the outskirts of the academy. She had been clutching the schedule that Asher had given her, folding it in her sweaty palms. She could barely even read what was written on it anymore, the ink had blurred so much. She would need to ask him for a new one.

Expecting warmer temperatures, Willow had taken off her bulky gear and was now regretting it, wearing only a tank top and leggings. She shivered and rubbed her arms as she approached her mother and father who were in the midst of an intense game of tic-tac-toe. Her father cried out in frustration as Mom began to do a victory dance. She wondered how long they had been doing that for; how long had they sat and played mind numbing games and how many times did Mom beat Dad? Her mom sat back down with a giggle and bumped their shoulders together. Since she was a child, Willow had admired the love her parents had for each other. It was beautiful, pure, and true. Secretly, she hoped that one day she could love someone the way her mother loved her father.

As soon as they saw her, they stood up. Their eyes held curiosity but Willow could see past that to the worry.

"Well?" Clary asked. "How was it? How did you do?"

Willow held her breath for a moment. Her parents could never know the truth about how she handled the test. They would be heartbroken. She realized in that second that she would have to lie to her parents, which was something she rarely did, and it was never for anything as big as this was. If they ever found out, she was sure they would lock her up and never let her fight again. So Willow painted on a false smile and held up her schedule for them to see.

"I did it," she said. "I got in!"

Willow could see her father's bright smile, even in the dark as he ran over to embrace her. Her mother squealed and joined him. They hugged her tightly and for a good long while.

"I'm so proud of you," Dad said. "I'm _so_ proud."

Willow blinked back tears. "Thanks, Dad," she said, her voice breaking. They shouldn't have been proud of her. It didn't feel right. Willow was first to break the embrace. She tucked the paper into her shoe, finding no other suitable place for it to go.

Her mother clapped her hands together loudly. "So," she said, the wide grin still on her face, "why don't we head back home and celebrate now?"

"Oh, uh, I don't know, Mom. I'm a little tired-"

"Oh come on!" Dad said. Her slapped her on the back hard not to softly. "You worked hard for this. You deserve a little party, Willow! Live life! Enjoy your youth while you still have it, like me."

Willow fought to keep her face devoid of the searing pain spreading throughout her back. He never did know his strength. "Dad, it's fine. I don't really need-"

"I'll send a fire message to the Lewis's and the Bane's!" her mom said. "Oh this is so _exciting_!" Willow was thankful for the darkness that concealed her guilt. She was sure that if anyone with eyes saw her, she wouldn't even have to say anything for them to find out what really happened in that simulation room.

As her mom scurried off to turn the tic-tac-toe sheet into party invitations, Willow turned to her dad. "Must we invite _everyone_ we know? Can't it just be the three of us and Jonathan?" Willow asked, realizing that if the Lewis family was invited that Asher would also be there. He was the last person she needed to see right now.

"I know I'm the belle of the ball, Willow, but I need at least a few suckers to fawn over my beauty," Dad said tossing his long blonde hair out of his eyes rather dramatically. Clary looked over to him and laughed at his cringe-worthy humor.

"Don't worry. It will be a lot of fun and there will be cake!" said Clary, hoping to sway her daughter's mind. Willow rolled her eyes.

"Are you really bribing me with cake?" she said through a half-hearted laugh.

"It will be chocolate, your favorite," her mother smiled deviously.

Willow sighed. They were clearly stuck on this whole party thing and there was no use trying to get out of it. When her mom's mind was set on something, there was no changing its course.

"Okay," she said, finally giving in to her parents' persistence, "fine. Let's have a party."

When they arrived home, literally _everyone_ seemed to be there already. Willow didn't even have a chance to take a shower, and she probably smelt like sweat and lies. Willow stole a glance of herself in a window pane and laughed, thinking for a moment that she resembled a lion with her mane of frizzy, tangled hair. For a split moment she worried about her appearance, and quickly tied her hair back into a ponytail so that it was no longer obscuring her face.

She was instantly swept up in hugs and bombarded with congratulations. In the sea of people, she spotted Asher. Ugh. She chose to avoid him at all costs. The next faces she saw were Uncle Magnus and Uncle Alec. She was surprised that they made it, now that they lived at the Institute in Venice. She got to see them once a month, at most, when they Portaled over.

Uncle Magnus was dressed in a purple velvety suit, probably Prada or some other designer brand, and was sporting a pink bowtie. She admired his sense of style as he ran over to them and threw sparkling confetti over their heads. "My little Willow is all grown up!" he shouted, wrapping her in a tight hug that squeezed the air out of her lungs. "In no time she'll be destroying demons just like her father." He wiped away fake tears and handed her off to Alec who embraced her just as tightly but not with nearly as much bravado.

Alec rolled his eyes at Magnus's antics. "Good job, kid," he whispered to her. Willow smiled and said thank you.

For the next half hour, she spoke to her family about the Simulation and what happened in the bare room. Everyone had a smile on and laughed with one another, joking and teasing; Willow swore she heard Magnus call Uncle Simon at least three different names in the past ten minutes, including Stanley, Sherman, and Sparticus. There wasn't any cake like promised, but the warlock conjured up an apple pie with the snap of his fingers.

"See, Magnus, this is why I married you. Not because of your looks or charm, because of your baking ability. Look at this pie! I could never do this" Alec had said his mouth full, mocking his husband.

"That's because you're not my bitch," Jace replied. The adults all laughed as Willow, Jonathan, and Asher exchanged confused looks.

Jonathan barely seemed interested in the fact that Willow had made it into the school-he gave her a thumbs up instead of a hug-but he was very curious about the testing process. Jonathan was going to be tested in a few years, like regular twelve year olds and he wanted to know everything. Willow gave him a play by play of how it worked; she told him where she went, then about the stern frog lady, and stopped at the part of getting into the Sim Room. He stomped his foot and demanded she go into further detail to which she responded, "You have to find out for yourself."

Eventually, Aunt Izzy called her over to where she stood with her son.

"Willow, Asher says he was your tester today!" she said.

"Oh, yeah he was," Willow said. "It was nice to see someone I knew. That really helped, you know, calm me down."

"Ash, you got to watch Willow in her simulation," Izzy said. "Why don't you tell us how she did?"

Willow looked at Asher pleadingly while Aunt Izzy's back was turned on her, and prayed to the Angel Raziel that he was a good liar. He caught her eye; there was no expression on his face. She held her breath as he opened his mouth to speak.

"Well, I hadn't expected much from her, to be honest. But she truly surprised me. She was brave, strong, and clever. Willow barely flinched when the first demon appeared, and pulled a dagger from her boot with little hesitation. Her combat skills can definitely be improved upon though. That is exactly what the Academy can offer her. I see great potential in her," he said, with no hint of uncertainty in his voice. He really seemed as if he believed his own words, even though none of them were even remotely close to the truth. He sounded so confident that even Willow could have believed him.

After Izzy had left and all of the congratulations died down, Willow grabbed Asher by the arm and pulled him away from the guests.

"That was… um… I'm…. thank you," she said, while twisting a red curl around her finger nervously.

Asher hesitated before saying, "It was nothing, really. I can't let people find out I went against the Clave's rules; it would mean suspension or even expulsion from the Academy."

Willow was a little embarrassed, for letting herself think that Asher had done it for her. She gave him a weak smile and walked off, hoping he didn't see her blush.


End file.
